Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has suspended the operations of 66 recruitment agencies and revoked the licence of another for delaying customer refunds, failing to resolve complaints and violating regulations.

The legal action against a total of 67 agencies followed inspection and monitoring campaigns conducted during the third quarter of 2026.

The ministry said the agencies faced action for violations including breaches of recruitment and labour service regulations, delays in refunding customers and failure to resolve complaints filed by service recipients.

Of the 67 agencies facing legal action, 66 have been ordered to immediately suspend all operations. The licence of another agency has been permanently revoked for failing to rectify its violations within the stipulated period.

The ministry said regular inspections would continue to ensure that recruitment offices and companies comply with regulations and protect the rights of both employers and workers.

It also made clear that strict penalties would continue to be imposed on agencies violating recruitment regulations or other laws.

The government has taken these measures to ensure good governance and transparency in the labour market, improve the quality of recruitment services and ensure that agencies fulfil their contractual obligations.

The ministry has advised service recipients and employers to use the government’s authorised ‘Musaned’ platform when recruiting domestic workers and accessing other services.

Through the digital platform, users can sign electronic contracts with approved recruitment agencies. They can also rate service providers, track application updates and report violations.

Authorities said the official platform would bring greater transparency to the entire recruitment process and help customers conduct secure transactions with registered and licensed agencies.

The ministry said the measures were aimed at making the Saudi labour market more reliable, competitive and sustainable.